Nicholas Mattiello

Governor Gina Raimondo is responding to Monday statehouse demonstration, where more than 100 peopled called for state lawmakers to pledge action against some of the President-elect’s campaign promises. The group known as “Resist Hate RI” delivered a letter Raimondo.

In the letter, the progressive group demands that the Governor, Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, and House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, protect rights they see as threatened by Donald Trump’s administration. Governor Raimondo responded with a lengthy post on social media.

Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and his Republican rival, Steven Frias, squared off during a televised debate Friday. Cranston voters will pick between the two candidates on Tuesday.

Mattiello and Frias fought on a series of issues during the 30-minute debate on WPRI-TV, Channel 12. Mattiello says tax cuts he’s supported have moved up Rhode Island about seven ranks from the bottom in a national business survey. Frias responded by saying that’s like going from an F grade to an F-minus.

House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello says he plans to make car taxes a priority in the next legislative session. Mattiello held a press conference Tuesday in Cranston to discuss his legislative goals. The Democrat faces a Republican challenger, Steven Frias, this November.

Mattiello said the car tax has long been a thorn in the side of his Cranston constituents, and said this session the General Assembly will be able to take up the issue.

The executive editor of The Providence Journal said it's "a mistaken assumption" to believe that Katherine Gregg, who has covered the Statehouse for the ProJo for more than 30 years, won't be returning to her longtime beat.

According to an email obtained by RI Public Radio, Dave Butler writes, "Kathy is on a month's vacation, then will take a much-needed break during what looks like a slow time in the Statehouse. She'll work on projects and other things. We've not said she won't return to the Statehouse. That's a mistaken assumption."

While many Ocean State voters are more focused on August vacations than politics, candidates for the legislature are knocking on doors, appearing at coffee hours and pleading for votes at taverns and ethnic clubs.

House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello says the all-night session that closed out the legislative session will not happen again on his watch. Lawmakers concluded their 2016 session after sunrise on Saturday.

A proposal by House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello to strengthen the state Ethics Commission is due to be introduced Tuesday.

An enhanced ethics oversight has not always been a priority for Mattiello. The speaker’s office declined to provide details about Mattiello’s ethics proposal prior to its introduction. But Mattiello’s interest in the issue has heartened some longtime government watchdogs.

House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello joins Political Roundtable this week to discuss fallout from the state's new truck toll law, whether he'll support a House floor vote for marijuana legalization, and the latest budget proposal from Governor Raimondo.

Lawmakers in the Senate and House Finance committees are expected to take up a controversial bill on truck tolls on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively Legislative leaders have proposed a compromise to raise money for road and bridge repairs.

The new bill would cap truck tolls at $20 for a rig crossing the state. It would also cut the number of toll gantries from 17 to 14. And reduce the amount of money the state borrows for road and bridge repairs.